Turtle Farming in China, with particular reference to US species

Michael Lau & Shi Haitao

Turtle Consumption in China

•  Turtle has long been used as food and as medicine in China despite being a symbol of longevity

•  Many turtles in trade are wild-caught individuals from China and other Asian countries

•  Farm-bred turtles became available in good numbers in the last 20 years and the market share has increased substantially

Turtle Farming in China •  16 provinces have turtle farms •  Difficult to get an accurate

picture because many farms operate without proper license

•  Shi et al. (2008) estimated over 300 million turtles are sold per year and are worth US$ 750 million

•  Zhou & Wang (2008) estimated 120 – 160 million turtles produced yearly and worth US$ 200 million

Softshell Turtles Farming •  China started farming Chinese

Softshell Turtles in 1970’s •  In mid 1980’s, adopted Green

House farming technique from Japan

•  In 1990’s turtle farming expanded quickly throughout China

•  Since 2000, Florida Softshell, Spiny Softshell and Smooth Sorftshell have also been farmed

2007 Softshell Turtles Production

Species Breeding Stock Yearly Production

Pelodiscus sinensis 2 - 2.5 million 110 – 120 million

Palea steindachneri

20,000 – 30,000 100,000 – 150,000

Apalone ferox 50,000 – 60,000 250,000

Apalone spinifera & A. mutica

10,000 – 20,000 30,000

Zhou & Wang, 2009; Zhou et al., 2009

Hard-shelled Turtles Farming •  Started in mid 1990’s with two

main species, Reeves Terrapin and Red-eared Slider

•  In late 1990’s, price of Soft-shell Turtles dropped considerably, many farms switched to Hard-shelled Turtles

•  More species are being farmed and the scale of operation also increases

•  Ranged from big outdoor ponds for adaptable low-priced species to high-security indoor facilities for valuable species

2007 Hard-shelled Turtles Production

Zhou & Wang, 2009; Zhou et al., 2009

Species Breeding Stock Hatchlings per year Trachemys scripta elegans

1 – 2 million 10 million

Mauremys reevesii 500,000 – 700,000 8 million

Mauremys sinensis 200,000 – 260,000 300,000 – 500,000

Mauremys mutica 40,000 – 50,000 230,000 – 260,000

Chelydra serpentina 22,000 – 50,000 20,000 – 30,000

Cuora trifasciata 10,000 5,500 – 8,000

Cuora flavomarginata 5,000 – 8,000 2,000 – 5,000

Hard-shelled Turtles Farming

•  22 species are being bred in commercial scale

•  Other US species bred (in moderate numbers) include: Trachemys scripta scripta, Chrysemys picta bellii and Graptemys pesudogeographica kohnii

•  Young Macroclemys temminckii are imported and raised to marketable size in farms

Other US turtles being farmed (as of 2008)

•  Bred successfully in small numbers: Graptemys nigrinoda, G. pesudogeographica pesudogeographica, G. versa, Pseudemys nelsoni, Chrysemys picta picta, Deirochelys reticularia, Malaclemys terrapin, Terrapene carolina triunguis, Sternotherus carinatus, S. odoratus

•  Being attempted: Terrapene ornata ornata, Kinosternon subrubrum etc.

Impacts of Turtle Farming •  Can flood the market and

cause a big reduction in price of the concerned turtles

•  Results in less pressure on wild population

•  Only apply to common species with short life cycle and high reproductive potential, e.g. Chinese Softshell Turtles

Impacts of Turtle Farming •  For very rare and highly valuable species, e.g.

Golden Coin Turtle, can cause a big jump in demand and the price actually shoots up (price of a hatchling went up from US$ 10 in 1984 to over $ 1000 now)

•  The need for breeding stock, especially males, results in intensive collecting pressure to find the last turtles in the wild

•  The presence of legal, farm-bred individuals makes enforcement extremely difficult

Linking Turtle Farming with Turtle Conservation

•  Workable certification system, legislation and enforcement in place so that the trade in wild caught individuals can be controlled or stopped

•  Part of the profit generated goes back into conserving turtles

Other Concerns •  Establishment of

invasive exotic species •  Hybridization with

native species or subspecies and causes genetic contamination

Trends •  The number of turtle farms, farmed turtle

species and the turtle stock increase every year

•  Some big farms now diversify their products, e.g. turtle wine and turtle essence and run tours

Worrying trend – growing pet trade may stimulate farming of endangered species

•  Need turtles to build up stock •  Complicate enforcement

Thank you